Entries in FlexSteer
(3)

Why would we be testing a 2015 Sorento crossover when the redesigned 2016 model has just been introduced? Why not? There are plenty of 2015s still sitting on dealer lots, making them fodder for close out deals, and a great way to get into a new, highly rated SUV inexpensively. Proof comes in a quick trip to TrueCar.com’s website where the average transaction price for the Sorento has dropped slowly throughout 2014, and is estimated to take a large fall as the 2016 model comes online. With our tester’s $39,395 MSRP (which includes destination fees) and a factory invoice of $37,470, the website predicts an average sales price (based on actual transactions) of $35,406. That’s a significant $3,989 off the list price.

In the year that has elapsed since we last had a Kia Soul in or test fleet, many things have happened to Kia’s funkiest vehicle. The most important of which is that the second generation Soul launched not long after we tested the 2013 model. Despite having similar styling and being about the same size, the latest Soul is a big step up in terms of fit and finish, materials, equipment and driving dynamics. Nearly all of the faults of the previous generation have been excised. In doing so, however, Kia may have gone a bit too far. Don’t get me wrong, the new car is handsome, capable, rides better, is quieter, has a better navigation interface and more. However, it is missing one ingredient that made the first generation so inviting: personality.

The Kia Forte has been on sale in the U.S. for just over 3.5 years, and the company is already replacing the compact sedan with an entirely new model. Blame it on the competitive market where new competitors seem to pop up over night. Blame it on customers who want the latest and greatest right now. Or, more accurately, blame it on Hyundai, who just did a mid-cycle update of its Elantra, and shares that car’s underpinnings with its cousins from Kia.